THE INFLUENCE OF HOUSEHOLDS SIZE, LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND INCOME ON
WASTE GENERATION RATES IN MARARRABA AREA OF KARU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA.
1A.T. Ogah, 2M.M. Alhassan, 3D.U. Sangari and 4J.I. Magaji
1,3&4Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria.
2Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Abuja, Nigeria.
E-mail: tankogah@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
This study examined the influence of household’s size, level of education and income on waste generation in Mararraba area of Karu. The objectives of this study were achieved using questionnaire. One set of questionnaire was designed and administered to heads of sampled households, the socio-economic characteristics of households’ particularly household size, level of education and income were taken and used. Data derived from field survey were subjected to statistical analysis using regression analysis to determine the rates of influence on waste generation. And the results revealed that the income of household head (71%) exerts the most influence on the amount of solid waste generated, followed by level of education (25.65%), while households size exerts the least influence (2.56%). Thus, the implication is that the larger the size of income of household heads, the greater will be the amount of waste generated and the higher the level of education more waste is generated, while the influence of household size is not significant based on percentage of influence exerted. Recommendations include Recycling and re-use of households waste has become imperative because waste generation has been on the increase with increase in population and economic development and resources have been scarce making recycling not only sensible practice but essential as a method of waste reduction at the source.